Spring drowsy driving warning

[Anchor]

As the weather warms up in spring, the risk of drowsy driving increases significantly as our bodies become lethargic.

It is important to ventilate by opening the windows periodically.

Reporter Lee Yu-jin has the story.

[Report]

A cargo truck traveling in the second lane of the highway crashes directly into a stationary construction vehicle.

["Agh!"]

A passenger car gradually drifts out of its lane and hits a cargo truck driver who was standing on the shoulder.

Both accidents were caused by drowsy driving.

[Shim Gi-won/Head of the Highway Patrol Division, Gangwon Police Agency: "Because they are driving with their eyes completely closed, they cannot predict the situation ahead at all, leading to a significant increase in the risk of collision..."]

The main cause of drowsy driving is carbon dioxide.

We will measure how much the carbon dioxide concentration inside the car increases while driving.

After starting with all the windows closed, the carbon dioxide level, which was 600 ppm, exceeds 5,000 ppm after about 30 minutes.

In this state, vision becomes blurry and mental clarity diminishes, making it difficult to even hold the steering wheel.

[Lee Woo-hyuk/Professor, Safety Education Department, Korea Road Traffic Authority: "(As the carbon dioxide concentration increases) it leads to delayed reaction times or decreased judgment. This results in drowsy driving."]

The fatality rate for drowsy driving accidents is 2.7 per 100 cases, which is double that of regular accidents.

Especially in spring, when daytime temperatures rise sharply, the risk of drowsy driving accidents increases even more.

Experts advise that drivers should frequently open the windows for ventilation and if drowsiness persists, they should stop driving immediately and take a break.

This is KBS News, Lee Yu-jin.